Hackers steal submarine data from French defense giant Naval Group
Illustrative photo: French company Naval Group targeted by hackers (naval-group.com)
French defense company Naval Group has become the target of a cyberattack. Confidential data on submarines and frigates may have been stolen, the Financial Times reports.
Hackers have published 30 gigabytes of data on an online forum, which they claim is related to the combat management systems of Naval Group’s submarines and frigates. They also claim to possess a total of around 1 terabyte of information.
The company is currently verifying the authenticity of the leaked documents. It has not detected any breach of its IT systems. French authorities have already intervened, and an investigation has been launched.
Naval said in a statement that all of its teams and resources were currently mobilized to analyze and confirm the authenticity, sources, and ownership of the data as quickly as possible. The company also noted that no intrusions into its IT systems had been identified so far, and its operations had not been affected.
The company has also informed French law enforcement authorities due to the risk of a confidential data leak and to ensure the protection of its clients' information.
Naval supplies submarines, ships, and defense systems not only to the French Navy but also to other countries. The company is majority state-owned, with 35% of shares held by the Thales Group.
Naval Group
Naval Group is France’s largest military shipbuilder, specializing in the design, construction, and technical support of submarines and surface combat ships, including nuclear-powered submarines.
The company serves the French Navy and exports vessels and defense systems to more than 50 countries worldwide. This includes a major contract with the Netherlands for the delivery of four diesel-electric submarines under the Orka-class project.
Incidentally, Bloomberg previously reported that Ukraine has become an easy target for Russian hackers, as the United States has reduced its cybersecurity assistance to the country.
